People regularly ask me for recommendations: from which culinary classics to have on their bookshelves, to which ingredients to keep in their cupboards, or what utensils are best for certain techniques. So, as a Pasta Grannies team, we thought it was about time to share a few of our favourite things. Each week, on the Pasta Grannies blog, we’ll share a few key items we’re loving.
Time flies when you’re making pasta; August is somehow already coming to a close. In the UK it was a bank holiday weekend last week, which meant an extra day to catch up on reading and make delicious food to be enjoyed with friends and family. Thankfully the sun was shining, so we were able to do most of our eating and chatting in the garden. And since long days of sunshine in August often means pomodoro season, this week our post is deliciously tomatoey-themed, including some of our favourite jars, books, as well as a passata maker.
STOCK
Items we regularly have on shelves in our pantry
August is the true tomato season—the long days of sun make for fantastically sweet, fresh tomatoes. It’s great to eat them fresh, but of course a lot of Italian cooking also uses them straight from a tin, jar, or carton. Most supermarket tomatoes work perfectly, and as the nonne always say, it’s more about the love, care, time, and attention that go into any tomato-based sauce that give it its flavour. Yet, if I had to pick some tinned tomato that works brilliantly in all sauces, al forno dishes, and pizza toppings alike, it’s Cirio.
These of course, are Italian, but keeping things closer to home, I also like these Isle of Wight jars for when you’re feeling a bit lazier. The pizziaola one is delicious, and a the perfect topping for your summer al fresco feast with friends and family.
MAKE
The best kitchen gadgets and gizmos to make a family-style spread.
If you fancy doing things by hand, you can leverage a passata maker.
I like the Rigamonti one. It’s lightweight, simple to use, and easy to clean.
ENJOY
Other things we’ve been enjoying inside or outside of the kitchen.
For a whole book dedicated to one of the best ingredients, open up Tomato by Claire Thomson. Claire interviewed my mum for her podcast series.
I like her straightforward recipes and she often uses ingredients you’re likely to have already in your larder.
And, if you fancy delving a little further into the history of this loveable savoury fruit, then I think Lindsay Bareham’s Big Red Book of Tomatoes is well-worthy of a read.
Please note that all these items are real recommendations chosen at our own discretion, and not a result of paid placement. Sometimes, however, we may include affiliate links)
